Player-piano



PatentedSept. 20, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

anion W11 S. L. FISHER.

PLAYEB PIANO.

llllllb 'S. L. FISHER.

PLAYER PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED n24, 191s.

Patentedsept. 20,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

512. 1' Fa Ml WI IIIV/ llllr, IIII rumll I Ill! gwuenkoc s. nsmzn.

PLAYER PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1918.

1,391,376. men

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

tedSept. 20,1921

s. L. FISHER.

PLAYER PIANO. APPLICATION FILED APR.24, 1 918.

1,391,376. I PatentedSept-20,1921-.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- I parts.

' UNITED STATES PA EN OFFICE.

STANLEY L. FISHER, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR.TO THE PRATT READ PLAYER ACTION COMPANY, OF1DEEI RIVER, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

PRAYER-PIANO.

7 Specific ation o f Letters Patent. P t n i S t 2( 1921 j Application med April 24,191 Serial no. 23o',417.

To all whom it may concern. r

Be it known that. I, ,STANLEY L. FISHER,

a, subject of the KingofGreat Britain, re-

siding in Chester, county of Middlesex, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Player-Pianos, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. v I r This invention relates to piano players and it has mor particular reference to pneumaticallyactuated pianos of the uprlght type, wherein a so-called upper ELCtlOlli or chest with its appurtenant valve mechamsm and pneumatics for operating the respective units of the piano action proper, extends across the front of the piano in the case thereof above thekey-board and in front of the piano action, each unit of player action being properlyconnected with and adapted to operate the "COIIGSPOHCllIIg UHIiZ of the piano action. Each piano action unit ordinarily comprises a hammer for strikmg the string, a pivoted wippen or ack beam, and a hammerjack mounted on thewippen in the customary manner, the wippen being operated to actuate the hammer by a connection with the corresponding player action unit for pneumatic playing, and said wippen being connected with the corresponding key of the piano for playing by hand.

One-of the primary objects of my inven tion is the provisionof an improved and simplified player action of thetype'set forth,

which has the advantages of simplicity, come 7 pactness, efhciency of operation, ready ac cessibility for inspection and repairs, and low cost. I v ,s

Another object of my invention'is to furnish a simple, compact chest work, in which the valves are disposed towardthe front of the piano and so located that access can be had to them with maximunr facility and with the removal of a minimum-:number of By the construction hereinafter described, it is possible to locate a faulty valve with great readiness and convenience and the same can then be very quickly repaired or replaced, or the valve andits adjacent passages can be very easily and quickly cleaned if the fault arises solely from the lodgment of. dust or lint-on the valve or its adjacent parts. 1 i ,1

Another object is to provide a construction in which the valves can be removed bodily from the chest after takingofi a cap plate or theilike,"which is preferably divided for convenience into a number of sections, each removable independently of the others. Thus, when difficulty with any particular valve is encountered, the corresponding cap plate section is taken off, the same being readily accessible at the front of the action as soon as the upper panel of the piano case lsremoved, and when the cap plate is taken off, the valve can be freely lifted off of its seat for inspection, cleaning or repairs, as above statec. The valve mechanism is thus made very accessible and it can be kept in good ivorking order With a maximum of convenience.

Another object of the "invention is to provide a construction in which the valves seat themselves surelyand accurately when the instrument is being played, so that the notes are properly struck, and, as a quick, positive cutoff is insured by the valves, perfect repetition can be obtained.

Another advantage which I have in view is that all the valves appurtenant to two or more tiers of striker pneumatics shall be located in a single chest above the level of the pneumatics, where they will be substantially uniformly accessible, preferably from the front of the piano, said valves being removable from the action without disturbing the'striker pneumatics in any way. I

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of connection between the striker pneumatics and the corresponding units of the piano action. By my improvements, the number of parts interposed between each pneumatic and the correspondingpiano action unit is cut down to a minimum, and yet provision is made for easy and nice adjustment of the parts, which can be readily carried out when the player action isinstalled in the piano case, so that the hammers will strike the strings uniformly. t i ii To these and other ends, the invention consists in the novel features and combinations ofv parts to be hereinafter described and claimed. r

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic, verticaltransverse sectionthrough the upper portion of a player piano embodying my improvements, showing the main parts of one of the p1ano action units and the wind chest, valvemechanism and striker pneumatics of'the player Fig. 4: is a top plan Viewv of'the pneumatic,

action detached and partly broken away;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of; a part of the pneumatic player action;

F g. 6 1s a detail section on a somewhat smaller scale, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig 7 1s a detall section of one of the valves and its actuatlng dowel or bumper;

Fig, 8 is an end view of the dowel 0r.

bumper;

Fig. 9 is a rear view of the chest block with the diaphragm boardremoved; and

Fig, 10 is an inner facenview, of a. portion of the diaphragm board.

' 1n the practice of my invention, the piano action A can be, for the most part, of the usual type, although various changes may be made in this respect. In the embodiment illustrated, I have-shown the ordinary form of piano action unit, comprising a.hammer 10 for striking the'string 11, pivoted at 12 to the rail 13, from which is pivotally supported at 14 the customary wippen 15, carrying the usual pivoted hammer jack 16 and other parts which I have not considered it necessary to illustrate. Pivoted to the wippen 15 near the outer end'thereof at 17 is the customary sticker or abstract 18. All of these parts, as shown, are of the usual construction.

Extending across thefront of the piano, in front of the piano action, above the keyboard (not shown) is a pneumatic player action, designated by reference character 13. This pneumatic action B, or more accurately this upper player actionthere being a so-calledlower action (not-shown) comprising pedal operated exhausting apparatus, etc-., located beneath the keyboard-*- comprises a wind chest 19 connected at one end by the duct 20 with. the pressure reducing apparatus, a plurality of striker pneumatics 21, 22, for actuating the respective units of the piano action A, anda plurality of valves 23 in the wind chest for controlling the operation of the pneumatics. The valves 23 are controlled from theusual tracker bar 24, illustrated diagrammatically in- Fig. 1, the openings of the tracker bar being con nected by means of tubes 26 and suitable passages with the chambered diaphragm board 27'at the rearpart. of the wind chest.

Referring now to the detail construction of the chestwork, it will be observed that the chest or chamber 19, running lengthwise of the action, is formed in an elongated block 28 which is open at the rear but closed by the diaphragm board 27 when the latter is placed in position, the diaphragm board being secured in an air-tight manner to the block 28 and also to a block 29 superposed on block 28 and having a bleed passage 30,with which the tracker tubescommunicate, as hereinafter described. At the front of the chest block 29, the same is bored out horizontally, as-shown at 31, to provide a plurality of chambers accommodating the valves 23, the valves and valve chambers being arranged in two rows in the present instance, corresponding to the tWoroWs ortiers of striker pneumatics 21, 22. Projecting rearwardly in the wind chest, inline with the respective rows of valve chambers, are shelves 32, in which are slidably mounted thestems 33 of valve aotu atingdowels or-bu1npers 34. Referring to Fig: 7, it-willbe seen that each valve 23, which is-a double valve, isslidably mounted on one end-of the bumper stem 33, whereas a bumperhead 35 isrigidly secured to the other end of the stem by screw threads 36 or the like. At the back of each ofthe bores or valve chambers 31, a smaller bore extends from the valve chamber to-the interior of thechest, said borecommunicating with the chest, in .this instance, both above and below the corresponding shelf 32, as shown more particularlyin Figs. 1 and 9. A bushing 37 is'driven-into'this bore from the front, so as to form a valve seat at the rear art of the corresponding valve chamber. oiiperating with this seat is the rear part 23 of the double valve 23; which valve may be conveniently made of two wooden parts in telescopic relation, glued together, as shown in F ig. 7 the rear part 23 having a stem 23 loosely fitting over the bumper stem 33. The front part of the double valve, which is designated23, is slipped over the stem 23 and-glued thereto, andit cotiperates with a seat on a; cap'plate 38 .suitably fastened to the front of the chest block, as shown in Fig. 2. The cap plate 38 is constituted by a comparatively thin-strip of wood having openings 39 which'register with the valves 23, and the front parts 23 of the valves are adapted to make air-tight contact with the rear surface of the cap plate around the openings 39. Thecap plate 38 is, in turn, covered by amufileiwtO, so thatwhen the apparatus is in use the valves and valve openings are concealed, but it will be understood that'the outer parts of the valve openings 39 are, nevertheless, in free communication chamber.

with the atmosphere atall times, so that when the part 2301 a valve is moved away from the corresponding valve seat on thecap plate, atmospheric air can enter the valve Air'so entering one of the upper valve chambers 31 of the chest block, passes downward through a vertical passage 41 to one of the pneumatics 21 of the upper tier, and similarly,-air entering one of the lower valve chambers passes downward through a passage 42 to one ofthe pneumatics 22 of the lower tier. 1

The vertical passages 41, 42 are formed partly in the chest block 28 and partly in a board or strip 43, into which said passages enter at the upper edge of said board, which upper edge is glued or otherwise suitably fastened to the under surface of the chest block. Glued or otherwise suitably fastened to the lower surface of the chest block at the back of the board 43 is a connecting strip or rail 44, and a lateral passage 45 formed partly in the rail 44 and partly in board 43. communicates with the lower end of the vertical passage 41 at the forward end of passage45. At the rear end of the passage 45, the same is deflected downwardly, so as to communicate through an opening46 with the interior of the corresponding striker pneumatic 21. This pneumatic 21 and its fellows of the upper tier have their upper fixed parts or leaves glued or otherwise suitablyfastened to the connecting rail 44, and it will be understood that each of said pneumaticscommunicates with one of the upper valve chambers 31 by passages 45, 41, substantially as herein de scribed. The pneumatics 22 of the lower tier are similarly applied to a rail 47, similar to the rail 44, said rail 47 being glued or otherwise suitably secured edgewise to the rear surfaceof the board 43-beneath the upper pneumatics and being provided with a plurality-of lateral passages 48 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1) 'which communicate at their -forward ends with the vertical passages 42 leading to the lower valves, whereas'the rear ends of said passages 48 communicate with the interior of the respec-' tivepneumatics 22 of the lower series. '1" e under surfaces of the connecting rails 44, 47 are upwardly beveled, so that the correspondingtiers or pneumatics applied thereto are given a rearward and upward inclination, as shown in Fig. 1, althoughthis is not necessary in all cases. The diaphragm board 2'? is provided at its inner face with a plurality or" diaphragm chambers 49, which, like the valve chambers and the pneumatics, are arranged in staggered relation in two rows. Each diaphragm chambar is covered at the front by a diaphragm 50 of the usual material, lying in substantial contact with the head 350i the adjacent valve bumper 34 and adapted to actuate the valve by means of said bumper. Each diaphragm chamber is in communication with a vertical passage or duct 51 in the diaphragm board, leading by way of ducts 52, 53 to one or the tracker tubes 26'. Each tracker tube is connected to the corresponding duct 58 by an elbow 26*. At the junction of the ducts 52, 53, a bleed 54 is provided, affording restricted communication with the longitudinal passages 30 in block 29, which longitudinal passage is in communication with the exhausting apparatus, through connections, not shown, and wellknown in the art. i i

The pneuinatics 21, 22 are collapsed by the admission of air to the action through the perforations in the music sheet and the holes in the tracker bar, in a manner more particularly described hereinafter. As the pneumatics collapse, their lower, movable parts or leaves are raised, and this movement is transmitted to the corresponding units of.

the piano action A, in such a manner that the strings are pi perly struck by the ham mers. For this purpose, each of the stickers or abstracts 18 of the piano action is adapted to be actuated by a rigid striker on the corresponding pneumatic. Each of the upper pneumatics, in the form shown, has a small, rigid striker constituted by a cleat 55 rigidly secured by a screw 56 to the under surface of the movable leaf of the pneumatic at the rear of saidleaf. A partrof the cleat extendsrearwardly beyond the leaf and under a button 57 carried by a bracket 58 that is rigidly secured by a screw 59 or the like to the front edge of the corresponding sticker 18. The button 57 has a layer of felt 57 on its lower surface, aoapted to be struck by a striker or cleat 55. The normal position of the parts is shown in Fig. 1, from which i it will be evident that as the upper pneumatic 21 is collapsed, the button57 (and bracket rigidly secured thereto) will be raised, thereby carrying upward the sticker 18 to suflicient extent-to operate the hammer 10. The brackets 58 appurtenant to the pneumatics 22 of the lower tier are arranged in line with those appurtenant to the upper pneumatics, and the lower pneumatics are provided with rigid strikers which eX- tend up into cooperation with the corresponding brackets 58, it being understood that by preference the single line of brackets will extend across the piano action approximately in line with the pneumatics of the uppertier, as shown, although changes may be made in this regard. The rigid strikers oi the lower pneumatics 22 are formed by cleats '55 secured to the lower leaves of said pneumatics by screws 56 in substantially the same relation as the cleats 55, but the cleats 55 are provided with rigid upward extensions '55", located adjacent the rear ends of pneumatics 22 and presenting rigid fingerlike members which extend at their upper ends into the spaces between the cleats or strikers with which they alternate. The strikers of both the upper and lower tiers are preferably made of wood, and their upper striking surfaces, cooperating with the buttons 57, are preferably slightly curved, so as to make the most advantageous striking contact with the buttons on the brackets 58. The buttons 57 are vertically adjustable, inasmuch as they are provided with threaded stems or shanks 57 engaging threads in the respective wooden brackets. At their upper ends, the threaded shanks are provided with manipulating heads 57 which enable them to be screwed up or down 2'. e. toward or away from the cooperating rigid strikers 55 or 55 In this manner, a very nice adjustment of the player action can be obtained after the same has been installed in the piano case, and all lost motion between the pneumatics and the corresponding stickers can be readily taken up, so that a fully effective actuation of the piano action unit by the corresponding player action unit.

will be insured. On the other hand, in order to prevent an upward movement of the sticker beyond the extent required a suitable stop mechanism is provided. Preferably, the brackets 58 or parts thereof, and is in the form of a rail having a plurality of independently adjustable stop members. In the example shown, a stop rail 60 extends across the upper faces of the pneumatics 21 of'the upper tier at the rear of said pneumatics and lengthwise of the piano. The rail 60 may be supported by brackets 61 at the ends of the player action, as shown in Fig. i, said brackets extending alongside the end pneumatics of the upper tier in parallel relation thereto and having their rear ends underlying the rail 60 and secured thereto by screws 62. At their forward ends, the supporting brackets are preferably interposed and-secured between the connecting rails 44:, L7. The rail 60 carries a plurality of stops 63, preferzbly constituted by buttons similar to the buttons 57, having threaded shanks 63 engaging screw threaded openings in the stop rail and provided at their upper ends with manipulating heads 63. The rear part of the stop rail projects beyond the upper pneumatics, so as to overhang the same, and stops 63 are supported by the overhanging portion of the rail with the buttons below the stop rail and the manipulating heads 63 above the same, where they are readily accessible. The brackets 58 on the stickers are preferably substantially L-shaped, the upper leg being attached to the sticker by the screw 59 and the lower leg carrying the adjustable striker contacting button 57. The lower leg of the bracket is preferably beveledat its upper face in a this stop mechanism coooperates with direction rearwardly and upwardly toward the sticker, and the corresponding stop button-68 onthe stop rail is arranged in opposing relation, so that its lower felted surface 63 is parallel to and opposes the beveled surface on' the bracket slightly in front of the threaded stem 57 When the correspondingpneumatic is collapsed, the sticker is raised until the beveled surface of the bracket engages the under surface of the stop button, which can be adjusted by ma nipulation of the shank 63, so'that the up ward movement of the sticker is arrested at exactly the proper point.

It will be understood that by arranging all of the brackets 58 in one row, a single stop rail will suflice for limiting the movement of all the various piano action units actuated by the pneumatic player action, by reason of the cooperation of the stop rail with all of the brackets. Nevertheless, the striker mechanism, on the other hand, or, in other words, the means for striking the bracket, is of the very simplest. construction, because the cleats rigidly applied to the upper pneumatics are of the simplest form and of very small size, while the cleats of the pneumatics of the lower series merely have to be equipped with a relatively small upper extension which, in the process of manufacture, can be readily applied to or formed integral with the main part of the cleat attached t0 the movable leaf. The brackets 58 will, of course, be attached to the'stickers at the most convenient height, and the player action is thereby adapted to pianos of different heights.

The operation of the pneumatics by means of the pressure exhausting apparatus controlled from the note sheet will be more or less obvious fromthe foregoing description. WVhen the pumps of the instrument are working, the tracker tubes 26 are exhausted so lon as they do not register with openings of the music sheet, by virtue of the suction produced in the bleed passage 30. Consequently, the diaphragms or pouches 50 are deflated and the valves 23 ti htly seat on the metal bushings or seats 37 his cuts off communication between the wind chest 20 and the valve chambers 31, and, at the same time, establishes communication between said valve chambers and the atmosphere, owing to the fact that the parts 23 of the valves 23 stand off their seats in the cap plate 38, enabling air to pass from the atmosphere through the ports 39 into the valve cham bers and thence into the pneumatics, which remain in the normal inflated condition. When one of the openings of the note sheet passes over the corresponding tracker bar opening, the appurtenant tracker tube 26 is opened to the atmosphere, destroying the vacuum in the diaphragm chamber and causing the diaphragm to shift the valve 23 to the left by means of the valve operating dowel or bumper 34. The part 23 of the valve is thus pushed against its seat on the cap plate, cutting off communication with the atmospheric air, and simultaneously the part 23 of the valve is moved off of the seat 37, establishing communication between the corresponding pneumatic and the exhaust through the valve chamber and the passages 41, 45 or 42, .48 as the case may be. When the pneumatic is placed in communication with the wind chest, it is collapsed and the corresponding piano action unit is actuated in the manner previously described. As soon as the perforation in the music sheet comes to an end and the sheet closes the hole in the tracker bar, the air between the diaphragm and tracker bar is immediately exhausted through the bleed 54, and the valve 23, now relieved of the pressure of the diaphragm 50, is forced back on its seat 37 by the pressure of the outside air on the outer part or disk 23. Thus, the communication of the pneumatic with the outside air is again restored simultaneously with the cutting off of the pneumatic from the wind chest and pumps.

' It will be understood that the valves 23 have a certain amount of free movement on the forward ends of the bumper stems 33, owing to the fact that the bores in the valves are somewhat larger than the diameter of said stems, When the bumper shifts the valve against the seat on the cap plate, the front end of the stem 33 engages the bottom of the bore in the valve, as will be manifest. The loose fit of the valve on the bumper stem provides, however, for a certain amount of movement of the valve independently of the stem and prevents binding, thus causing the valve to seat accurately and surely both against the cap plate and against the metal valve seat 37. In this manner, a quick and effective cut-off is produced and the repetition effects produced by the instrument are most satisfactor Aside from the advantage just spoken o the free mounting of the valves on the ends of the bumper stems enables the valves to be removed from the action independently of the bumpers. player is faulty by reason of dust or lint entering the same through the tracker bar and lodging in the chest, the muffler 40 and cap plate 38 can be readily taken off by removing a few screws, as said parts are located at the front of the action, where they are very readily accessible. When the mufller is removed, all the valves can be seen and the instrument can be played while the valves are visible, so as to determine which, if any, are not working properly. If a faulty valve is discovered, it can be readily taken out by removing that section action of a different make.

When the action of the of the cap plate 38 appurtenant thereto.

of a faulty valve, the same can be removed for cleaning or for the substitution of another valve or for the cleaning of the valve chamber and adjacent passages, which are made quite accessible by the removal of the cap plate.

One of the advantages of my improved player action is that it can be very readily adapted to various pianos. In different pianos, the piano action units are differently spaced and grouped, and a player action having pneumatics arranged to cooperate with the units of one piano will, in most cases, not cooperate properly with a piano In accordance with my invention, the greater part of the chest work can be used with all kinds of pianos and can be manufactured in quantity and kept in stock. The. only parts which need to be especially adapted to the piano in which the device is to be installed, are. the connecting rails 44, 47, the transverse passages of whichhave to be bored in such a manner as to locate the pneumatics at the proper point, and the stops 63 whichmust be spaced along the stop rail 60 to conform to the action scale of the piano in which they are used. When the spacing of the piano action units is known, the connecting rails can be readily bored out in a simple manner to provide the necessary connecting passages 45, 48, which usuallyfradiate from one or more centers, as shown in Fig. 6. The bores formed in the board 43 to constitute parts of the vertical passages 41, 42, with the lateral bores forming parts of the passages 45, 48, form what is known in the trade as the player action scale openings, while the openings at the rear ends of the passages 45, 48, in the connecting rails 44, 47, form what is known in the trade as the piano action scale openings, these parts of the passages 45, 48 located in the connecting rails being bored'out at the proper angle only when the spacing and arrangement of the piano action scale is known. It will be observed that the borings in the connecting rails are very simple and easy to make, and

this applies also to the other borings and to I the pneumatic action as a whole.

.The bleed passage 30, associated with the upper block 29 of the chest work, has a detachable cover plate 30, so that access can be had to the several bleeds 54 when it is desired to clean the same.

The muffler 40 is secured in place by screws extending into the cap plate 38. Atmospheric air is admitted to the valve ports in any su table manner, as by leaving the mufiier 40 open at the ends. Changes in minor features of this character will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

It will be observed thatthe passages tl, 45 form in conjunction substantially L-shaped conduits, which connect the upper valve chambers in a very simple and direct manner with the upper pneumatics. The passages 42, 48 form similar L-shaped conduits, which connect the lower valve chambers in a very direct manner with the pneumatics of the lower tier. The player action is made very compact by securing the connecting rails L4, 47 to the downward extension 43 at the front of'the chest, so that said rails are located beneath the chest proper, in the an le between the latter and the downward extension. The upper connecting rail abuts at its upper surface against the lower surface of the chest block, so as to. be held in place against the chest block as well as against the board or downward extension 4L3 inthe angle previously mentioned; and the lower connecting rail 4:7 is only slightly below the upper rail. The compactness of the structure is also increased by inclining the pneumatics 21, 22 upwardly and rearwardly to a certain extent, as previously described. By giving the lower surface of each connecting rail an upwardly and rearwardly directed bevel or chamfer, the bulk of the rail is reduced and the passage connecting the pneumatic with the correspondingvalve chamber is shortened, so that communication is made more direct.

The cap plate is independent of the valves and it is not even necessary to provide it with means for supporting or guiding the valves, inasmuch as the latter are effectively supported and guided on the bumper stems.

Vhen the cap plate is removed, the valves remain in place. The particular valve or valves which need attention can thereafter be readily pulled out of the corresponding chamber or chambers. The diaphragm board has a similar relation to the valve bumpers, inasmuch as it is independent of the same, and because the bumpers are left in place when the diaphragm board is removed. After the removal of the diaphragm board, one or more of the bumpers can be lifted out of the chest from the rear, as desired.

I do not claim in this application the novel features of the mechanism for transmitting the motion of the movable leaf of the striker pneumatic to the piano action, nor do I claim herein the novel arrangement of the stop rail to limit the movement of the piano action, all of which forms the subject matter of my divisional application, Serial No. 315,- 208, filed ugust A, 19

"Various changes may be made in the de tails of the construction without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the claims.-

What I claim is:

1. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having valve chambers in the front part of the same connected by ports with the main tension chamber and atmosphere, double valves in said valve chambers to control said ports, a cap plate applied to the front of the chest and provided with valve ports for cooperation with one or more of said valves but mounted independently of the same, separate horizontally movable actuators for said valves in said chest, said chest being provided at the rear with diaphragm chambers, diaphragms in the diaphragm chambers for operating said actua tors, the latter being arranged to support and guide the corresponding valves, and pneumatics beneath the chest-in communication with said valve chambers.

2. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a tension chamber and a plurality of valve chambers at the front of the chest arranged in tiers, horizontally movable valves in said valve chambers, pneumatics beneath said chest having fixed upper leaves andmovable lower leaves, said pneumatics also arranged in tiers, said chest having interior substantially L-shaped conduits connecting said valve chambers directly with said pneumatics.

3. in a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a main tension chamber and plurality of valve chambers arranged in tiers at the front of said chest and communicating with said tension chamber, horizontally movable valves in said valve chambers, a plurality of pneuuiatics beneath the chest having fixed upper leaves and movable lower leaves, said pneumatics arranged in tiers, connecting rails for said pneumatics having substantially horizontal passages ie ading to said pneumatics and upright passages leading from the last named pasdi-rectly to the valve chambers.

1:. In a pneumatic player action, a vvind chest having a main tension chamber and valve chambers, horizontally movable valves in said valve cban'ibers, a dowmvardly pro jecting extension on said wind chest beneath said valves, and piieuuiatics communicating with said valve chambers through passages in said extension, and secured within the angle formed by the wind chest proper and the downwardly projecting extension thereof.

' 5. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a dowi'iwardly projecting extension, horizontally movable valves in said wind chest, and pneumatics controlled by said valves through passages in said extension, said pneumatics being secured to the chest within the angle between the main downwardly prosecured to said extension, and substantially L-shaped conduits leading through said extension from the valves to the pneumatics.

7. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a downwardly projecting extension, horizontally movable valves in said windchest located substantially in vertical alinement with said extension, pneumatics secured to said extension, and substantially vertical communicating passages in the chest proper and extension, beneath said valves, in communication with said pneumatics.

8. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a main tension chamber and valve chambers at the front of the chest, horizontally movable valves in said valve chambers, a downwardly projecting extension on the chest at the front of the same, substantially in vertical alinement with the valve chambers, and having passages communicating therewith, and pneumatics secured to said extension at the rear thereof and in communication with said first named passa es.

9. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a main tension chamber, and a plurality of valve chambers at the front of the chest, horizontally movable valves in said valve chambers, a downwardly projecting extension on the chest at the front thereof substantially in line with said valve chambers, and having upright passages communicating with said valve chambers, pneumatics at the rear of said extension beneath the main part of the chest, and a connecting rail for said pneumatics having substantially horizontal passages communicating with said first named passages.

10. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest cut out at the rear portion thereof to present a main tension chamber, and provided at the front of said main tension chamber with a plurality of valve chambers, horizontally movable valves in said chambers,

actuators for said valves at the rear of the chest, a cap plate applied to the chest at the frontthereof and provided with valve ports and cooperating with said valves, a diaphragm board applied to the rearof the chest and provided with diaphragms for said actuators, a downwardly projecting extension at the front of the chest provided with passages, said chest being provided with upright passages connecting said first named passages with the valve chambers, a connecting rail applied to the lower part of the chest in the angle between the same and said extension and having passages communicating with said first named passages, and pneumatics on said connecting rail in communication with said last named passages.

11. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest cut out at the rear portion thereof to present a main tension chamber, and provided at the front of said main tension chamber with a plurality of valve chambers, horizontally movable valves in said chambers, actuators for said valves'at the rear of the chest, a cap plate applied to the chestat the front thereof and provided with valve ports and cooperating with said valves, a diaphragm board applied to the rear of the chest and provided with diaphragms for said actuator a downwardly projecting extension at the front of the chest provided with passages, said chest being provided with upright passages connecting said first named passages with the valve chambers, a c0nnecting rail applied to the lower part of the chest in the angle between the same and said extension and having passages communlcating with said first named passages, and pneumatics on said connecting rail in communication with said last named passages, the passages in the chest, extension and rail forming substantially L-shaped conduits con necting the valve chambers directly with the pneumatics.

12. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a main tension chamber, said chest being provided at one side with a plurality of valve chambers communicating with said tension chamber, horizontally movable valves in said valve chambers, horizontally movable actuators for the valves in said chest, having operating heads located at the opposite side of the chest, a diaphragm board applied to the last named side of the chest and provided with diaphragms to operate said actuators, a cap plate applied to the other side of the chest and provided with valve ports to cooperate with said valves, a downwardly projecting extension on the chest, substantially beneath the valve chambers and having passages communicat ing therewith, a connecting rail in the angle between extension and chest proper having a diaphragm board provided with dia-' phragms to operate said actuators,

closing the chest at the side opposite the valves,

pneumatics beneath the chest having fixed upper leaves and movable lower leaves, and passages leading directly from the fixed upper leaves of the pneumatics through the chest to the valve chambers.

14;. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a downwardly projecting extension, said chest provided at one side with a plurality of valve chambers, horizontally movable valves in said valve chambers, separate actuators for said valves in said wind chest, a cap plate at one side of the chest provided with valve ports provided with diaphragms to operate the valves, a diaphragm board at the other side or the chest cooperating with the actuators, said actuators constructed to have a certain amount of movement relatively to the corresponding valves but to support and guide the valves independently of the cap plate, and pneumatics at the lower part or" the chest communicating with the valve chambers by passages in said extension and in the chest.

15. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a plurality of valve chambers at one side, a cap plate applied to the .last mentioned side of the chest, valves in said valve chambers mounted independently of the cap plate, actuators for said valves in said chest mounted separately from the valves but adapted to support and guide the same, and a diaphragm board at the side of the chest opposite the cap plate provided with diaphragms to operate said actuators, said actuators being removable from the chest when the diaphragm board is removed, and said valves being removable from the chest when the cap plate is removed.

16. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a downwardly projecting extension, a connecting rail in the angle between the extension and the main part of the chest, pneumatics applied to said connecting rail, horizontally movable valves in. the chest, horizontally movable actuators in the chest for operating said valves, a diaphragm board at one side of the chest provided with diaphragms for operating the actuators, a cap plate at the other side of the chest provided with valve ports cooperating with the valves, and passages in the chest structure leading from the valves to said pneumatics.

17. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a downwardly projecting 6X- tension, a connecting rail in the angle between the extension and the main part of the chest, pneumatics applied to said connecting rail, horizontally movable valves in the chest, horizontally movable actuators in the chest for operating said valves, a diaphragm board at one side of the chest provided with diaphragms for operating the actuators, a cap plate at the other side of the chest provided with valve ports cooperating with the valves, and passages in the chest structure leading from the valves to said pneumatics, said actuators being removable from the chest independently of the valves.

1.8. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest, having a downwardly projecting extension, a connecting rail in the angle between the extension and the main part of the chest, pneumatics applied to said connecting rail, horizontally movable valves in the chest, horizontally movable actuators in the chest for operating said valves, a diaphragm board at one side of the chest provided with .liaphragms for operating the actuators, a cap plate at the other side of the chest provided with valve ports cooperating with the valves, and passages in the chest structure leading from the valves to said pneumatics, said valves being removable from the chest independently of the actuators when the cap plate is removed.

19. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a downwardly projecting er;- tension, a connecting rail in the angle between the extension and the main part of the chest, pneumatics applied to said connecting rail, horizontally movable valves in the chest, horizontally movable actuators in the chest for operating said valves, a diaphragm board at one side of the chest provided with diaphragms for operating the actuators, a cap plate at the other side of the chest provided with valve ports-cooperating with the valves, and passages in the chest structure leading from the valves to said pneumatics, said valves being removable from the chest independently of the actuators when the cap plate is removed, and said actuators being removable from the chest independently of the valves when the diaphragm board is removed.

20. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a plurality of valve chambers at one side arranged in tiers, valves in said valve chambers, actuators for the valves in said chest, pneumatics ar 'anged in tiers and secured to the lower part of the chest structure, said pneumatics having fixed upper leaves and removable lower leaves, the larger ends of said pneumatics projecting beyond that side of the chest at which the actuators are located, a diaphragm board at the last named side of the chest mounted independently of the actuators, a cap plate at the other side of the chest mounted independently oi the valves, and passages independent of the cap plate connecting the pneumatics of the different tiers directly with the corresponding valve chambers.

21. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a plurality of valve chambers at one side communicating with the main tension chamber by ports, said chest having a shelf projecting rearwardly into the main a diaphragm board cooperating with the actuators, pneumatics,and passages connec I ing the pneumatics with the 'valve chambers; 22. Ina pneumatic player action, a wlnd chest having a plurality of valve chambers at one side communicating with thejmain tension chamber by port's,,sa id chest having a shelf projecting rearwardly into the main tension chamber substantially in line with said p0rts, a cap plate inclosing the valve chambers, valves in" the 'valve chambers,

valve actuators slidablymounted in said shelf and separate from the valves but sup-' porting and guiding'the valves loosely so that the latter are freelyremovable from the chest when the cap plate is removed, a

diaphragm board provided with diaphragms for operating the actuators, pneumatics, and

A passages COIlIlBCtlllgthG pneumatics with the valve chambers, said). passages extending through the chest independently of the cap'g plate. p 1

23. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having valve" chambers at one] side,

horizontally movable valves insaid valve chambers,valve bumpers in said chest having loose telescopic engagement with the valves, a cap plate at oneside of the chest provided with'valve ports cooperating with the valves, a. diaphragm board at the opposite side of the chest having diaphragms for operating said valvebumpers, pneumatics, and passages connecting the pneumatics through; the chest structure with the valve chambers.

24. In a pneumatic player action, a wind chest having a pluralityof valve chambers] bored therein at one side, valves in *said valve chambers, valvebumpers'in the wind chest having loose telescopic engagement with the corresponding valves, a shelf in the chest for guiding the valve'bu'mpers,ja diaphragmfboardat one side .of the chest having diaphragms foroperating the valve bumpers, and means at the opposite side of the chest for closing'the valve chambers,

said valves being freely removable from the chest when said last named means is removed.

25. In a pneumatic player action, a wind guided thereby.

, having diaphragms for operating the valve removable as a unit'from the action on one side, and an actuating bumper for said valve removable as a unit from the player action on the other side, said {valve and valve bumper having loose telescopic engagement when assembled.

27. Ina pneumatic player action, a chest block having a plurality of valve chambers at one side, movable valve bumpers having stems projecting into said chambers, and

valves in. said chambers loosely engaging said stems but supported and guided thereby. 28. In a pneumatic player action, a chest block having a tension chamber at one side with a laterally extending shelf, a valve bumper provided with a stem guided in said shelf and projecting toward the other side of the valve block, and a valve on such other side ofthe valve block having loose engagement with said stem but supported and 29. In a pneumatic player action, a chest block having a tension chamber at one side and a plurality of valve chambers in the other slde, said valve chambers adapted to communicate with said tension chamber, a shelf in the tension chamber in line with the valve chamber, a valve bumper having a stem guided insaid shelf, means for actuating said stem, and a valve in the valve chamber looselyeengaging the bumper stem but supported and guided thereby and removable from f the chest independently of said stem.

l 30. In a pneumatic player action, a chest block having a plurality of valve chambers at one side, valves in said chambers, a rejmovable cap platefor retaining said valves able fromsaid chest block when said cap plate is removed. p v

' 81. In a pneumatic player action, a chest block, valves therein, movable actuators for said valves supporting and guiding the same, means for operating said actuators, and removable means for retaining said valves in said block, said valves being removable from the front of the block when said last-named means is removed, independently of said valve actuators.

32. A pneumatic player action including a chest block having a plurality of valve chambers at one side, valves in said valve chambers, valve actuators separate from said valves, said valves being unattached to said actuators but resting freely thereon, and a removable cap plate for said valve chambers, said cap plate being the sole means for retaining the valves in said valve chambers.

33. In a pneumatic player action, a chest block having a plurality of removable Valves, a removable cap plate section common to said valves having openings at the front of the chest controlled by said valves, and a muffler covering said cap plate.

3.4. In a pneumatic player action, a chest block having a plurality of horizontal valve chambers bored therein at one side,horizontally reciprocable valves in said valve chambers, a cap plate inclosing said valve chambers and having ports for said valves, said valves being mounted independently of said cap plate and being freely removable from the chest when the cap plate is removed, separate actuators in the chest for supporting and guiding said valves, and a diaphragm board provided with diaphragms for operating said actuators.

35. In a pneumatic player action, a chest block having a plurality of valve chambers at one side, movable valve bumpers having stems projecting into said chambers, and horizontally movable valves in said valve chambers having loose telescopic engagement with said stems whereby said valves are supported and guided wholly by said stems.

36. In a pneumatic player action, a chest block having a plurality of valve chambers therein at one side, valves'in said chambers, a removable cap plate independent of the valves having ports adapted to be closed by said valves, and valve actuators separate from'said valves, said valves being unattached either to said chambers or to said actuatorsv and freely liftable out of said valve chambers when said cap plate is removed.

37. In a player piano, a block having valve chambers formed therein, valves in said chambers, a board having bores formed therein communicating with said chambers, said bores being spaced apart to conform to the spacing of a selected player action scale, a connecting rail having a lateral edge positioned to abut a face of said board, said rail having bores through said lateral edge positioned to communicate with said first mentioned bores and extending inwardly from said lateral edge at an angle to each other, whereby the inner ends of said last mentioned bores are spaced apart to 0011- form to scales other than said selected player action scale.

38. In a player piano, a board having bores formed therein, a connecting rail having a lateral edge positioned to abut a face of said board, said rail having bores through said lateral edge positioned to communicate with said first mentioned bores and extending inwardly from said lateral edge at an angle to each other.

39. In a player piano, a pneumatic supporting rail having a beveled lateral face, pneumatics rigidly mounted upon said beveled face, said rail having passages communicating with said pneumatics, comprising bores extending inwardly from a lateral edge of said rail in the same plane but at angles to each other.

10. In a player piano, a pneumatic supporting rail, pneumatics mounted upon said rail, said rail having passages communicating with said pneumatics, comprising bores extending inwardly through a lateral edge of said rail and lying in the same plane but at angles to eachother.

41. A pneumatic player action including a wind chest, horizontally movable valves therein, said wind chest having a downwardly projecting extension provided with passages, striker pneumatics supported by said extension, said passages communicating with said pneumatics and controlled by said valves.

42. In a player piano, a board having bores formed therein, said bores being spaced apart to conform to a selected player action scale, a rail, associated with said board, having bores formed through an edge thereof to communicate with said first mentioned bores, and extending inwardly from the edge at an angle to each other, whereby the inner ends of said last mentioned bores are spaced apart to conform to scales other than said selected scale. v

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the9 day of April, 1918.

STANLEY L. FISHER. 

